Will AI Strengthen or Undermine Democracy?

An essay by Bruce Schneier and Nathan E. Sanders discusses how AI is already reshaping democratic processes—from legislation and courts to political campaigns—highlighting both risks of power concentration and opportunities to distribute power through organizing and assistive tools. It concludes that AI’s democratic impact depends on governance choices and public action, urging four responses: reform the tech ecosystem, resist harmful uses, responsibly deploy AI in government, and renovate rules vulnerable to AI-driven disruption.